Sustainability Innovation Fund accepting applications until April 26
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The Sustainability Innovation Fund (SIF) is now accepting applications for projects on York University campuses that advance the University’s goal to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, as well as contribute to advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (UN SGD) 13: Climate Action.
SIF supports projects that advance climate action and York’s net-zero goal, while creating opportunities for members of the York University community to actively engage in sustainability initiatives, specifically related to: climate action, reducing GHG emissions and utilizing the campus as a living lab, empowering individuals to be agents of change and take meaningful steps to reduce their impact on the planet. Proposals may address direct or indirect emission such as commuting, energy, food, waste, behaviour change, awareness and engagement, or nature-based solutions.
This round of SIF is intended to provide funding for projects focused on identifying, accelerating and evaluating climate mitigation solutions and strategies, specifically:
seed funding (potentially for larger proposals in the next SIF round or external grant applications);
funding where there are matching funds from an academic unit or administrative office; or
projects that can be achieved generally under $10,000 from SIF (although compelling requests for up to $25,000 may be considered).
The call for applications is now open. The deadline to apply is 4 p.m. on Friday, April 26.
All proposals for the SIF must be submitted to the Office of Sustainability by email to sustainability@yorku.ca.
A selection committee will evaluate the applications using the Proposal Assessment Rubric and will make recommendations for funding to the president.
Reach out to the Office of Sustainability for more information or for a consultation by email to sustainability@yorku.ca.
York announces new initiative to advance global research
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York University has launched the Global Research Excellence Seed Fund (GRE Fund), a new initiative that will strengthen the University’s research partnerships worldwide and enable faculty members to forge deeper global connections across communities, academia and industry.
“Building international, values-driven partnerships underscores York University’s dedication to working together cross-culturally to address critical world issues,” said Rhonda Lenton, president and vice-chancellor of York University. “The GRE Fund is an investment in the transformative work of the York community and will provide mutually beneficial opportunities for our researchers, students and partners to continue to translate research outcomes into social and economic benefits in Canada and beyond.”
The fund is available in two GRE funding streams: Stream A focuses on strategic partnership exploration and development, while Stream B focuses on advancing multilateralism by supporting the University’s knowledge mobilization collaborations with multilateral organizations and platforms.
The funding ranges from $5,000 to $30,000 per recipient for Stream A and $5,000 to $15,000 per recipient for Stream B.
For the inaugural call, York faculty who meet the eligibility requirements can apply for the fund beginning May 2024 through to April 2025. The fund has rolling deadlines to enable faculty to respond to external opportunities.
The fund is a joint initiative of the President’s Office, the Office of the Provost and Vice-President Academic, and the Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation, co-ordinated by the Global Strategic Initiatives team at York International. The fund was developed in consultation with York Faculties, researchers and international partners.
To learn more about the GRE Fund, eligibility and requirements, click here.
York dialogue initiative embraced by academic institutions
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York University Professor Randal Schnoor, recognized for his efforts in fostering genuine dialogue on the Israel-Palestine issue through the Bridging the Gap (BtG) student dialogue group, finds his community-building work gaining traction and support from other academic institutions amidst tensions on campuses in Canada and abroad.
Randal Schnoor
The BtG initiative, led by Schnoor and an executive team of eight students, has been instrumental in creating safe spaces for healthy discussions about Israel-Palestine at York University.
“We are a group of York University students and alumni, both Palestinian Arab and Israeli Jewish, who want to change the way that the conversation about Israel-Palestine is happening at York University,” says Schnoor, a sociologist at York’s Israel & Golda Koschitzky Centre for Jewish Studies who teaches the Antisemitism and Islamophobia in Canada course.
“We believe that, as fellow students who have a connection to this land, we all deserve human dignity and an honest conversation.”
The first dialogue session took place on the Keele Campus on Feb. 12. Led by student moderators, the successful outcome garnered attention and praise both locally and beyond.
The Canadian Jewish News covered the inaugural event in a story published Feb. 21, reporting that despite some heated exchanges the panellists, representing diverse perspectives, demonstrated a commitment to civil discourse.
“There is a great appetite for this kind of initiative, as other campuses are also facing similar challenges around the Israel-Palestine issue,” says Schnoor.
He has since been contacted by professors and senior administrators at Western University, Toronto Metropolitan University, the University of British Columbia and the University of Sydney in Australia to share his insights on the proactive advocacy work being done at York.
Earlier this month, BtG travelled to the University of Toronto Scarborough and Queen’s University to present additional panel discussions that explored the opportunities and challenges Schnoor and York students have encountered since the launch.
There are now plans to expand outreach by visiting synagogues and mosques this summer, followed by scheduled campus visits in the fall.
This outreach and ongoing exchange of ideas highlights the broader impact of initiatives like BtG in promoting constructive dialogue beyond York’s borders.
“York should be proud of the leadership role it is taking in Canada – and beyond – in promoting respectful dialogue on Israel-Palestine,” Schnoor says. “The goal of dialogue is not to win debates, but rather to use constructive communication to gain a better understanding of experiences and work towards a more positive future.”
Prof’s work advancing nursing makes impact
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A review advancing knowledge of nursing care for persons with developmental disabilities (DDs) was published in the impactful journal Nursing Open by York University School of Nursing Professor Nazilla Khanlou and went on to be among the top 10 per cent most downloaded papers during its first 12 months of publication.
According to the review, individuals with developmental disabilities often contend with health-care systems and services that lack accessibility or better support. As a result, nurses have often reported notable gaps in receiving proper training to better care for people with DDs. There are few opportunities to discover best practice guidelines for those looking to provide care for this demographic.
With the intention of advancing the enhancement and standardization of nursing care for persons with developmental disabilities, the research team looked to identify research evidence, nursing strategies, knowledge gaps, and barriers and facilitators. In doing so, the paper moves towards providing “recommendations addressing access, education, collaboration, communication, use of standardized tools and creating a safe environment” to better help nurses care for people with DDs.
The findings of the review have clearly resonated, given the degree to which it has been accessed and downloaded, which speaks to its efforts to fill a notable knowledge gap in care for an underserved population. Khanlou believes that nursing education in Canada must address that gap.
“We must provide introductory level education and training for all nursing students at the undergraduate level in addressing the complex needs of persons and families with developmental disabilities,” she says. “At the graduate level, more advanced knowledge and specialization should be available for nurses interested in pursuing practice of health promotion and care in the developmental disabilities field. We can learn from the experiences of nursing in the United Kingdom, where the designation of Learning Disability Nurse exists, and specialized education is provided at the university level.”
The accomplishment of being among the top 10 per cent most downloaded articles in Nursing Open – which is published by influential research publisher Wiley Online Library – builds upon the impact that Khanlou’s extensive career and body of work has already had.
Appointed the inaugural holder of the Ontario Women’s Health Council Chair in Women’s Mental Health Research at York in 2008, Khanlou has used her clinical background in psychiatric nursing to advance research and understanding of many under-represented groups.
Her published articles, book, reports and research – some of which has been funded by organizations like the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council – have explored the well-being and mental health needs of specific populations. Youth and women in multicultural and immigrant-receiving settings have been a particular focus, as she has written about gender-based violence, patient-centred care for women, identity-related factors affecting the mental health of immigrants and refugees, and more.
Alumna’s acclaimed film follows Indian family’s fight for justice
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By Lindsay MacAdam, communications officer, YFile
It is often said that every action, no matter how small, has the potential to shift the trajectory of one’s life.
For York University alumna Cornelia Principe (BA ’91), a decision to participate in a for-credit internship program at media organization TVO in the final year of her undergraduate studies opened her eyes to a career in film and led her on a path to becoming an award-winning documentary producer – a profession that, as a communications and psychology double major, hadn’t previously been on her radar at all.
Cornelia Principe
“If I hadn’t gone to York and done a fourth-year internship at TVO, I probably wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing now,” she admits.
And that would be a shame, since her body of work – which includes producing 11 feature-length documentary films, two documentary short films and one television series – has since graced the screens of over 100 national and international film festivals and been broadcast all over the world, earning her global acclaim and recognition.
This past January, Principe was happily surprised to learn the film she had worked on as a producer for eight years, To Kill a Tiger, had earned a Best Documentary Feature Film nomination from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences – the ultimate goal for many in the movie business.
“It’s really nice to say you’re an Oscar-nominated documentary producer,” says Principe, “but it’s not why I do what I do. It’s not what drives me.”
To Kill a Tiger follows the harrowing journey of a poor rice farmer in a small Indian village as he embarks on an unprecedented quest to demand justice after the assault of his 13-year-old daughter. It tackles themes of gender-based violence, toxic masculinity and allyship, and confronts – head-on – the culture of silence and complicity surrounding sexual assault in India, where a rape is reported every 20 minutes and conviction rates are less than 30 per cent.
“It’s giving voice to millions who have never had a voice before,” says York film Professor Manfred Becker, who served as a story editor on the project, “and that is why we make films.”
Although To Kill a Tiger did not take home the Oscar at the at the 96th Academy Awards in March, Principe believes the attention brought to the film – and its important message – through the nomination is worth much more than the award itself.
Nisha Pahuja, the film’s director, worked tirelessly after post-production wrapped to get the film into the hands of the right people who could help her expand its reach and, as a result, its impact. Hollywood A-listers Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Mindy Kaling and Dev Patel – all of Indian descent – were brought on board as executive producers after the film was completed as part of this strategic publicity approach, which resulted in much media buzz and the film’s high-profile acquisition by streaming service Netflix prior to the Academy Awards.
Principe had been friends with Pahuja for years before they began working together; they collaborated on two documentaries and then decided to raise money to make a film about masculinity and gender equality in India. The idea came about when Pahuja was touring around the country screening their previous documentary, The World Before Her, and the men’s reactions to it caught her attention.
“Many Indian men who saw it were surprised and saddened by what they realized was cultural, systemic gender discrimination,” says Principe. “It opened their eyes to something they had not really thought about before.”
After doing some research, Pahuja came across a non-governmental organization (NGO) called the Centre for Health & Social Justice that works with groups of men in rural India to help them reflect on their masculinity, their choices and their role in the oppression of women in hopes of creating a more just country. Pahuja mentioned this to Principe, who was instantly intrigued.
“When she started talking about this NGO, my eyes lit up,” says Principe. “So many films about issues around women’s rights focus on women, which is great. But at a certain point, you need to focus on where the problem is, which is usually men.”
As Pahuja began filming for this new project and working with the NGO, she pursued several narrative threads that explored the subject of masculinity in India. During the process, she stumbled upon Ranjit, who would eventually become the protagonist in To Kill a Tiger, after consultation with another York community member.
Manfred Becker
After about three and a half years of filming and two long years of editing, trying to blend the many storylines together to form a cohesive narrative, Pahuja and Principe were frustrated, realizing they couldn’t make the film they originally wanted to. They enlisted the help of two story editors, including Becker, who has been an editor, writer and director for many years, and whom the filmmakers had both worked with in the past.
Becker offered his expertise and viewed a dozen or so cuts of the film over about a year’s time, provided detailed comments and took part in Zoom sessions where the team mulled over possibilities of how to tell the story. Soon, they reached the conclusion that this film needed to focus on Ranjit and his fight for justice, and that the other stories should be saved for something else.
“It took us months to come to terms with that, because we had spent six years married to this idea of making this bigger film about masculinity,” explains Principe. “And in the end, it is about masculinity, but just through one story.”
Beyond securing a place on this year’s Oscars shortlist, To Kill a Tiger has been recognized widely for its cinematic excellence, winning the Ted Rogers Best Feature Length Documentary award at the 2023 Canadian Screen Awards; being named Best Documentary at the 2023 Palm Springs International Film Festival; and winning the Amplify Voices Award for Best Canadian Feature Film at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival.
“It’s really a triumph of the persistence of its makers, and of documentary as an art for change,” says Becker, of the eight-year-long process to get this film made.
It was worth the wait.
Professor receives esteemed literary prize
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Professor Christina Sharpe, the Canada Research Chair in Black Studies in the Humanities at York University, is among this year’s recipients of Windham-Campbell Prizes. The awards seek to call attention to literary achievement and provide writers with the opportunity to focus on their work independent of financial concerns, with a cash award of US$175,000.
Christina Sharpe
The award recognizes Sharpe’s collective work for its efforts to recalibrate images of Black existenceby exploring the complex relationship between language and Black being.
It especially singles out her most recent award-winning work, Ordinary Notes, for how it manages to “demonstrate, brilliantly, how beauty, as an attention to everything, can be a method and a radical force not just for recognizing and refusing antiblack structures and logics but for contending with their continuation into the brutality of the present.”
Sharpe receiving a Windham-Campbell Prize is the latest success in a wave of accomplishments since Ordinary Notes was published in April 2023. Sharpe was awarded the 2023 Hilary Weston Writers’ Trust Prize for Nonfiction for the book, and it also was named a finalist for the National Book Award in Nonfiction and the National Book Critics Circle Award in Nonfiction. It was also named a top 10 book of the year by The Atlantic, and among the New York Times’ 100 Notable Books of 2023.
In a video interview created by the Windham-Campbell Prizes, Sharpe says of the goal of her work, “It’s important to me to try to speak to as broad an audience as I can and for the work to travel in all kinds of ways.”
This most recent award – and the funding it will provide for future efforts – will surely ensure she can continue to meet that aim.
Prof receives funding recognizing emerging research leadership
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Hossein Kassiri, an associate professor in the Electrical Engineering & Computer Science Department at York University’s Lassonde School of Engineering, was recently honoured with a prestigious Early Researcher Award (ERA) from the government of Ontario. He is the only researcher at York University to receive the award this year.
Hossein Kassiri
The ERA recognizes rising stars in the initial stages of their research journeys who are leading impactful work. It looks to fuel innovation across Ontario by providing recipients with funding to help build teams of researchers supporting the future of innovation.
“This award is one of the most prestigious recognitions an academic can receive early in their career – it’s a great feeling to be acknowledged,” says Kassiri. “Receiving an ERA indicates that I’m headed in the right direction with my research.”
Kassiri plans to use his ERA funding to recruit talented graduate students who will help support his interdisciplinary research project spanning across disciplines from electrical engineering to neuroscience. His research focuses on the design and development of miniature brain implants that can help monitor, diagnose, and treat neurological disorders such as epilepsy and Alzheimer’s disease.
These small, powerful implants work wirelessly and do not require batteries. They can sense neuronal activities in different areas of the brain, process them using machine learning algorithms that are specifically tailored for each patient, and provide responsive feedback to the brain through electric or optical pulses.
“This award will provide the financial support necessary to hire more excellent researchers and advance the development of medical device technologies,” says Kassiri.
Join the York community for a virtual town hall on April 11
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La version française suit la version anglaise.
Dear York community,
I invite you to join me for a virtual town hall on Thursday, April 11. This town hall is an opportunity for members of our community to ask questions, and to share feedback and ideas on how we can work together to drive positive change.
Participants are required to register for the town hall in advance using their York U email. Questions and comments can be submitted prior to and during the event by emailing conversations@yorku.ca. Learn more about the upcoming event on the Community Conversations website.
I hope you will join me along with other members of the York University leadership team.
Sincerely,
Rhonda Lenton President and Vice-Chancellor
Le 11 avril, joignez-vous à la communauté de York pour une conversation communautaire virtuelle
Chers membres de la communauté de York,
Je vous invite à assister à la conversation communautaire virtuelle du jeudi 11 avril. Cette conversation communautaire est l’occasion pour les membres de notre communauté de poser des questions et d’exprimer leurs idées sur des façons de travailler ensemble pour susciter des changements positifs.
Ajoutez la conversation communautaire à votre calendrier Outlook à l’aide du fichier .ics en pièce jointe.
J’espère que vous vous joindrez à moi et aux autres membres de l’équipe de direction de l’Université York.
Sincères salutations,
Rhonda Lenton Présidente et vice-chancelière
Updated: Create sustainable change this Earth Month
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Update: New information after publication of this article indicates the tree planting events have been rescheduled. The new dates are listed below.
Throughout the month of April, York University looks to commemorate Earth Month by inviting the community to engage in activities and events that advance and celebrate the University’s commitment to a sustainable future.
Every action matters, which is why the York community is invited to create positive change this month in celebration of Earth Day, Earth Week and Earth Month. By engaging in sustainable living – the practice of understanding how individual lifestyle choices affect the world collectively – and finding ways to live better together, each one us can create sustainable change in our communities, on our campuses and around the world
“While institutions, governments and private companies need to make investments in transitioning to a low carbon economy, we also need to demonstrate our personal commitment,” says Mike Layton, York’s chief sustainability officer. “It can be as simple as reducing what we consume by buying local and less, diverting waste from landfill by composting and recycling, or taking public transit to work instead of driving.”
This Earth Month, community members are invited to attend York’s annual campus tree planting and clean-up events at the Keele and Glendon campuses in collaboration with the student group Regenesis and Facilities Services. Registration is encouraged and the details are as follows:
Other events happening throughout the month include a WWF Living Planet Leader Certification Workshop, where students can learn how to lead impactful initiatives, and another event titled The Future is Now – A Dialogue on Climate Hope, where participants will have the opportunity to share their personal insights on topics related to climate anxiety, sustainability, the role of community in their lives and strategies for feeling empowered in the face of the climate crisis.
The C4: Cross-Campus Capstone Classroom will also once again host Capstone Day, an event where students showcase projects they have been working on over the past year that relate to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).
The events – and York’s overall celebration of Earth Month – reflect how, since the launch of its University Academic Plan in 2020, the University has made significant progress in advancing its sustainability initiatives and enhancing its impact on the UN SDGs. The University is currently among the top 40 institutions for global leadership on advancing the UN SDGs in the 2023 Times Higher Education Impact Rankings and has been named as one of Canada’s Greenest Employers for 11 consecutive years.
Recently, the University announced its plan to reach net-zero emissions by 2040, a decade earlier than originally planned. This new pledge is part of York’s renewed sustainability policy, which also includes a commitment to develop and implement a process to track, measure, evaluate and report progress toward net-zero emissions.
Sustainability has been well integrated into every part of the University – from its wide array of sustainability-focused courses and partnerships, like the Global Water Academy, to campus sustainability features easily accessible throughout its campuses. Last year, the University also launched the Microlecture Series in Sustainable Living, an open-access program that gives participants the opportunity to learn from six of York’s world-renowned academic experts on a diverse range of topics related to sustainability.
To build on its strong repertoire of sustainability work, York recently launched a new, $1-million Sustainability Innovation Fund to invest in projects led by York students, faculty and staff that support the University’s goals.
Join York in creating sustainable change this Earth Month as well as during Earth Week (April 21 to 28) and on Earth Day on April 22. To learn more and get involved, visit York’s Earth Month website.
TTC mural honours Professor Carl James
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The Toronto Transit Commission’s (TTC’s) subway system recently became the canvas for a new mural honouring York University Distinguished Research Professor Carl James and his impact on community and racial equity.
The mural – which features an evocative portrait of James – can be viewed at the York University TTC subway station, as well as a bus wrap that’s emblazoned on a TTC vehicle deployed from the Queensway Garage, and at various subway stops across the city. It pays tribute to Professor James’ impactful contributions to education, community and racial equity.
Mya Salau, a third-year student at the University of Toronto Scarborough, was commissioned for the project by AstroSankofa Arts Initiatives, a Canadian organization that describes itself as committed to supporting Black and Indigenous emerging artists in public art and Web3 activities.
Salau’s inspiration for the mural stemmed from her desire to capture the essence of James’ teachings and accomplishments. To create the image, she used acrylic paint on canvas, then had the painting digitized to be displayed on TTC buses and murals. She also incorporated various visual elements to reflect his dedication to educational equality, youth studies, and race and ethnic relations.
“I wanted the artwork to not only celebrate Professor James, but also to serve as a reminder of his profound impact on our community,” Salau explained. “Through this mural, I hope to convey the essence of his teachings and inspire others to continue his legacy of advocacy and social change.”
The mural features a captivating portrait of Professor James adorned with textbook pages, symbolizing knowledge, literature and the power of education. “I also added a futuristic eye lens,” Salau said, “as a lot of his work advocates for future change and improving systems in Canadian society.”
James worked closely with Salau as she shaped the mural over various iterations. “I very much appreciate that Mya was able to share an early version of the painting, and use my comments to develop the final version,” he says. “Her efforts to represent me and my scholarship in the painting reflects her reading of my work.”
That work, in a nutshell, is about addressing systemic inequalities in Canadian education and society.
From his early days as a community organizer to his current role as the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora at York University, James has provided research on race, education and immigration that sheds light on the challenges faced by Black students in the Greater Toronto Area. His investigations have catalyzed significant policy changes, including the end of academic and applied streaming for Grade 9 students in Ontario.
“It is not about research for research’s sake, but to inform action,” James said in a recently published interview.
“Community is often a central feature for those who have been marginalized, and it is through collaboration and advocacy that we can bring about meaningful change.”
The unveiling of the mural on Feb. 24 coincided with Black History Month, a time to celebrate the rich contributions of Black Canadians to society. Alongside other honourees, James was recognized during a TTC subway tour honouring Black Torontonians, showcasing their enduring legacies and contributions to the city.
